As the school year gets into full-swing, and the inevitable chaos of new teachers, new friends, and new schedules ensue, we've counted down 100 tips to help you have a healthy back-to-school. Share your tips with us in the comments or with #GoodFoodForce on Twitter!
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Tip 100: Kids are seeing healthier school foods this year! Encourage your kids to try them!
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Tip 99: Healthy kids = team effort. Talk about healthy foods & behaviors with your kids.
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Tip 98: Get excited about school lunch! Great video from @pewtrusts on why -> http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/multimedia/video/2015/school-lunches-are-getting-healthier-the-facts
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Tip 97: Eat meals with your child when you can and let them see you enjoy fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
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Tip 96: Try to join your child for lunch at the school cafeteria one day!
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Tip 95: Start the school day off right with these whole grain pancakes from @KimiHarris: http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2008/11/basic-whole-grain-pancakes-soaked.html
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Tip 94: Join the Good Food Force mailing list for weekly tips, updates, and more all year long! http://moms.ly/GoodFoodForce
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Tip 93: Need a laugh? Here's a @funnyordie & @American_Heart video about a “Pizza Farm” http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/b3e57df4eb/pizza-farm-with-nick-offerman?t=RgU490SVhmfOz4_Ol2q6lA&_cc=__d___&_ccid=f458lp.ntac3q
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Tip 92: Celebrate healthy school meals with your kids! http://www.rwjf.org/en/library/infographics/students-parents-support-healthier-school-meals.html?cid=xsh_rwjf_tw
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Tip 91: School snacks are getting healthier! Learn about the changes:
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Tip 90: Understand new meal standards: school lunches should be “right-sized” and have a balance of food groups.
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Tip 89: Be a source for change. Get involved in your school’s Wellness Committee.
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Tip 88: Looking for healthy snacks? Try these healthy (and easy!) homemade granola bars http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/healthy/g2311/healthy-granola-bar-recipes-0222/
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Tip 87: Be careful with sugary drinks. Sports drinks are a huge source of sugar. Find out more from @CSPI: http://www.cspinet.org/new/pdf/Sports_Drinks_in_Schools.pdf
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Tip 86: School day is more than just meals. Explore healthy fundraisers for clubs, teams, etc.!
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Tip 85: In need of some #healthy breakfast ideas? Here are 16 of them from @KimiHarris: http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2009/04/16-nourishing-breakfast-ideas.html
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Tip 84: Lowering sodium in school foods is important! Get the facts from @American_Heart http://cspinet.org/new/pdf/AHA%20-%20Lowering%20Sodium%20in%20School%20Foods_FINAL.pdf
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Tip 83: Think creative with getting kids to try new foods.Tips from @CSPI - http://cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy/School-Meals-Tip-Sheet-Get-Kids-to-Eat-Fruits-and-Veggies.pdf
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Tip 82: Hectic mornings? Here’s 27 No-Cook Breakfasts That Are Healthy from @goodhousemag http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/healthy/g2380/no-cook-healthy-breakfasts/
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Tip 81: Learn more about why junk food fundraisers are a big problem: http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/multimedia/video/2015/school-fundraisers-a-back-door-for-junk-food
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Tip 80: Avoid these four bad back-to-school habits: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/-dr-joseph-horrigan/back-to-school-health_b_8031974.html
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Tip 79: @USDA has a great toolkit for parents who want to make the school day healthier! http://www.fns.usda.gov/healthierschoolday/school-day-just-got-healthier-parents
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Tip 78: Giving kids plenty of healthy food choices & regular exercise at school means healthy habits for life.
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Tip 77: Snacks matter! Learn more about healthy snacks from @pewtrusts: http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/multimedia/data-visualizations/2013/snack-facts
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Tip 76: Make sure your kids get regular exercise. More burn = More learn
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Tip 75: Wake up early! Getting up before the kids do can make a huge difference. http://www.momsrising.org/blog/5-ways-to-make-mornings-easier
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Tip 74: These black bean & egg burritos are healthy AND good on your budget http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2009/11/the-healthy-1-menu-black-bean-and-egg-burritos.html
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Tip 73: Try walking to & from school with your child. Exercise is great way to start the day! http://rwjf.ws/1M7JT8P
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Tip 72: Plan healthy snacks for after school, too, when the urge to binge is high! Apples, carrot sticks, hummus, etc.
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Tip 71: Review the school menu with your kids & encourage them to try new foods.
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Tip 70: Plenty of water during the school day is important! Learn more: http://www.changelabsolutions.org/publications/fact-sheet-drinking-water-access-schools
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Tip 69: Parent of a LGBTQ child? Talking with your child's teacher ahead of time can help: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/back-to-school-tips-for-parents-of-lgbtq-kids_55d381e4e4b055a6dab1b8c9
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Tip 68: Need healthy fundraiser ideas? Here are 10 from @HealthierGen: https://www.healthiergeneration.org/about_childhood_obesity/wellness_stories/2013/11/11/849/top_10_fresh_fun_ideas_for_healthy_school_fundraising
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Tip 67: Packing school lunch for your child? Here’s 30 healthy ideas from @goodhousemag - http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/ideas-kids-school-lunches/#slide-4
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Tip 66: Try new foods & describe how they smell, feel, and taste. Offer new foods along with foods your child already likes.
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Tip 65: Cheerlead healthy meals & snacks. Add excitement to healthy eating! http://www.momsrising.org/blog/moms-to-your-stations-five-ways-to-support-healthy-schools-this-year
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Tip 64: Having a consistent sleep schedule will help kids function best - http://www.momsrising.org/blog/5-tips-to-help-students-avoid-school-stress-and-improve-academic-success
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Tip 63: Make a no TV rule until after the kids are completely ready for school. http://www.momsrising.org/blog/5-ways-to-make-mornings-easier
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Tip 62: Talk to your child about their food choices at school (and how to improve them) at home.
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Tip 61: Help your child track their daily exercise. Here’s a handy chart from @girls_inc
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Tip 60: School supplies? @GilTroy suggests a pencil case stuffed with sharp questions http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gil-troy/a-magical-mystical-list-of-school-supplies_b_8074982.html
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Tip 59: Prepare lunch the night before. This can save 20 min+ in the a.m. http://www.momsrising.org/blog/5-ways-to-make-mornings-easier
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Tip 58: Use cookie cutters to make sandwiches or fruit more interesting for school snacks!
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Tip 57: Great advice for Kindergarten parents from @EileenCCampos: http://www.momsrising.org/blog/10-tips-for-a-great-kindergarten-year
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Tip 56: Avoid the after school "junk food grab" trap! @ACommunityTable has healthy ideas: http://communitytable.parade.com/156269/lorilange/50-healthy-after-school-snacks/
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Tip 55: Make sure backpacks are ready the night before & easy-to-find: http://www.momsrising.org/blog/5-ways-to-make-mornings-easier
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Tip 54: Keep a family calendar with everyone’s schedule to keep you organized - http://www.momsrising.org/blog/5-tips-to-help-students-avoid-school-stress-and-improve-academic-success
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Tip 53: Find ways to recognize, celebrate, and make your child feel special without junk food as a reward.
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Tip 52: Events like fun-runs, read-a-thons, and dance-offs are great fundraisers - http://www.momsrising.org/blog/moms-to-your-stations-five-ways-to-support-healthy-schools-this-year
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Tip 51: If you or your child are LGBTQ, provide the teacher with resources: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/back-to-school-tips-for-parents-of-lgbtq-kids_55d381e4e4b055a6dab1b8c9
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Tip 50: Here’s a health routine kids can count on from @devoschildrens
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Tip 49: Help make classrooms celebrations healthy! http://www.momsrising.org/blog/moms-to-your-stations-five-ways-to-support-healthy-schools-this-year
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Tip 48: Learn and use stress-reduction techniques like yoga, dancing, etc. http://www.momsrising.org/blog/5-tips-to-help-students-avoid-school-stress-and-improve-academic-success
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Tip 47: Here’s some great tips for divorced parents during back-to-school time! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/10-ways-these-divorced-parents-make-back-to-school-time-less-stressful_55db5e8be4b0a40aa3ab9d9e
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Tip 46: Get those school papers organized! Here's a how-to from @denisermt: http://www.momsrising.org/blog/how-to-organize-school-papers-backtoschool
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Tip 45: You can stay informed about food issues all school year long by joining #FoodFri each week at 1pm ET on Twitter.
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Tip 44: Healthy dinners during the week can be quick! Here are recipes from @goodhealth: http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20341216,00.html
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Tip 43: Learning in a community of shared values, beliefs can improve the experience - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gil-troy/a-magical-mystical-list-of-school-supplies_b_8074982.html
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Tip 42: Push back on junk food marketing in schools: http://www.momsrising.org/blog/moms-to-your-stations-five-ways-to-support-healthy-schools-this-year
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Tip 41: Follow this health & safety checklist to ensure a healthy start to the year:
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Tip 40: @DadTellMeAStory says to deal with stress take deep breath & remember it's only life - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-mccormick/why-back-to-school-is-not_b_8034326.html
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Tip 39: @usnews reminds parents of high school students to get up-to-date on social media: http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/articles/2015/08/13/interactive-back-to-school-checklist-for-parents-of-high-schoolers
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Tip 38: Kids low on energy? Try these No-Bake Protein Energy Bites from @pbsparents http://www.pbs.org/parents/kitchenexplorers/2013/05/30/easy-no-bake-protein-energy-bites/
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Tip 37: Control portions of after-school snacks by not letting kids eat directly out of the bag or box.
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Tip 36: Set yourself up for success by enlisting a support team http://www.momsrising.org/blog/7-back-to-school-tips-to-help-you-stress-less-and-find-your-center
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Tip 35: Stop the spread of germs with this simple checklist from @AceClean1
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Tip 34: Need weeknight meal inspiration? Try these slow-cooker recipes http://www.babble.com/best-recipes/7-kid-favorite-slow-cooker-dinners-for-school-nights/
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Tip 33: Keep snacking after school healthy: keep fresh fruits & veggies within arms reach for kids.
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Tip 32: Encourage your school to create a supportive community for LGBTQ parents & students. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/back-to-school-tips-for-parents-of-lgbtq-kids_55d381e4e4b055a6dab1b8c9
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Tip 31: Students should add 2 books to their reading list for each crossed off. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gil-troy/a-magical-mystical-list-of-school-supplies_b_8074982.html
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Tip 30: Great reminder from @denisermt - take a moment to review your family's school allergy plan! http://www.momsrising.org/blog/review-your-familys-allergy-plan-this-back-to-school-season/
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Tip 29: Back-to-school is a great time to talk about nutrition with your kids. http://gigglesgobblesandgulps.com/healthy-back-to-school-tips-registered-dietitian/
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Tip 28: Inspire positivity by praising children on their hard work & efforts. http://www.momsrising.org/blog/5-tips-to-help-students-avoid-school-stress-and-improve-academic-success
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Tip 27: After-school snack tip—make snacks small, then give seconds if your child asks for more.
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Tip 26: Make breakfast ahead of time for quick serving in the a.m. http://www.momsrising.org/blog/5-ways-to-make-mornings-easier
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Tip 25: Remember—Children who eat a healthy, balanced diet do better in school. http://www.momsrising.org/blog/5-tips-to-help-students-avoid-school-stress-and-improve-academic-success
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Tip 24: Build immunity with a well-balanced diet, avoid stress, and get regular exercise. http://www.stopgerms.org/tips-on-staying-healthy-while-going-back-to-school/
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Tip 23: @reneetrudeau suggests to combat stress, schedule replenishing nature respites http://www.momsrising.org/blog/7-back-to-school-tips-to-help-you-stress-less-and-find-your-center
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Tip 22: @healthfinder offers these tips for healthy afterschool snacks: http://healthfinder.gov/HealthTopics/Category/nutrition-and-physical-activity/nutrition/healthy-snacks-quick-tips-for-parents
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Tip 21: FRUIT! Fresh, frozen, dried, canned... it’s an easy “grab-and-go” snack that needs little prep.
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Tip 20: @usnews reminds parents of highschoolers to prep for college admissions http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/articles/2015/08/13/interactive-back-to-school-checklist-for-parents-of-high-schoolers
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Tip 19: Buy whole grain bread or make your own for healthier sandwiches @oboyorganic http://www.momsrising.org/blog/healthy-school-lunch-ideas
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Tip 18: Advocate for healthy school food! Find allies who share your views to help. http://www.momsrising.org/blog/school-food-advocacy-101
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Tip 17: Food safety is important when packing lunches! Here’s a great infographic from @foodsafetygov
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Tip16: Salt taste preference is shaped by exposure; limiting it in school foods can help: http://www.momsrising.org/blog/on-sodium-and-school-foods
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Tip 15: To help get enough sleep during school year stick to a schedule - http://www.momsrising.org/blog/how-to-get-enough-sleep-this-school-year
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Tip 14: Fluffy Whole Wheat Biscuits are healthy & a delicious breakfast! http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2009/03/fluffy-whole-wheat-biscuits-dairy-free-soaked-vegan.html
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Tip 13: Request your child’s teacher minimize sweets in classroom. Great sample letter: http://www.momsrising.org/blog/sample-letter-requesting-teacher-minimize-sweets-in-the-classroom
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Tip 12: Food is an emotional issue for people. Keep your cool when advocating for healthy food. http://www.momsrising.org/blog/school-food-advocacy-101
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Tip 11: Experts recommend limiting celebrations that involve food to no more than one party per class per month.
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Tip 10: Do less to experience more. Say ‘no’ to simplify life. http://www.momsrising.org/blog/7-back-to-school-tips-to-help-you-stress-less-and-find-your-center
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Tip 9: Teach kids about proper nutrition. Here are lesson plans from @USDANutrition - http://www.choosemyplate.gov/teachers
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Tip 8: Proactively suggest healthy options to your child’s sports team, debate club, etc. www.momsrising.org/blog/moms-to-your-stations-five-ways-to-support-healthy-schools-this-year
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Tip 7: Great Farm to School Planning Toolkit from @USDANutrition for starting new program - http://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/census#/toolkit
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Tip 6: @AceClean1 says “Talk to teachers about efforts to disinfect the classroom.” http://www.stopgerms.org/tips-on-staying-healthy-while-going-back-to-school/
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Tip 5: Breakfasts for kids with food intolerance can be tricky! http://www.yorktest.com/blog/back-to-school-breakfast-ideas/
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Tip 4: Different school food concerns require varying approaches. Learn how to advocate - http://www.momsrising.org/blog/school-food-advocacy-101
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Tip 3: Make physical activity a regular part of the day at home & at school. http://www.choosemyplate.gov/physical-activity-tips
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Tip 2: More healthy school lunch, side dish, & snack ideas from @oboyorganic - http://www.momsrising.org/blog/healthy-school-lunch-ideas
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Tip 1: Together we are powerful. Keep sharing ideas with your school community. http://www.momsrising.org/blog/moms-to-your-stations-five-ways-to-support-healthy-schools-this-year
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